Stop Predatory Gambling

Ohio taxpayers are only beginning to see the bill for their state’s predatory gambling program

by Les

Alexander Coolidge of The Cincinnati Inquirer has an excellent news story about how the state revenues from proposed Ohio casinos will be 40% less than what the casino interests promised during their unprecedented $60 million campaign in 2009 to amend the state constitution. As has been the case in other states, exaggerating revenues has been a staple of every casino push in the country. It is a key part of the “whatever it takes to win” strategy.

The news from Ohio underscores how government’s partnership with gambling interests is based on a lie. The business model of casinos (and lotteries) is based on people losing an enormous amount of money which is why, in the end, the financial windfall for the casino owners will come at the expense of all Ohio taxpayers – regardless whether they lose money in slot machines or not.